Buddies
by Dreaming-Of-A-Nightmare
Summary: Alex has this annoying-creepy-stalker-girl after him, and he wants to be rid of her. So he asks Sean for an odd favor, and it seems to go well, but it's not like Sean can pretend it didn't happen. .:. Alex/Sean twoshot. Hints of Cherik. Slash, obviously!
1. such close buddies

**A/N: Inspired by my own actions, pathetically enough. I ran into the Spanish classroom my sophomore year of high school and said to one of my best friends, "Heather, please! Brett keeps trying to ask me out and I think he's creepy. If he asks again, can I say that you're my girlfriend?" – Mind you, I knew then that she used to have a crush on me because she's bi, and she was mad at me for a while for pulling the stunt, but it was a pretty good plan despite all that. Want someone off your back? Act as disinterested as possible. Even if that means being gay. Or, if you are gay, pretend to be straight! :'D**

**But the idea spawned this oneshot, and things turn out a little differently. :3**

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><p>"Hey, buddy," comes Alex Summers' voice as startling as thunder as he suddenly comes up from behind Sean and drops his arm across the back of the redhead's shoulders. "Can I ask for a favor?"<p>

"Jesus!" Sean exclaims, jumping a bit as he pauses his pacing down the hallway, headed toward the kitchen for a snack. He's been living here for about a year now, it being months and months after all the bad shit that went down in Cuba, and through all that time before right now, Alex has never been so oddly _friendly. _"What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing much; I just thought that, since we're friends and all and you've saved my ass a few times and I've saved yours, you wouldn't mind helping me out with something pretty minor," Alex shrugs, keeping his arm around Sean. He grins, biting his bottom lip a little, and smacks Sean's chest with his free hand, patting twice. "Come on, don't give me that confused scowl, Banshee. I really need your help with this."

Sean eases Alex's arm from around him. "Okay, sure, I'll help you… depending on what it is. You're kinda fidgety, man. Did you break one of Professor X's expensive vases or statues again? 'Cause I don't want to cover for you and get in trouble," he wants to know as he quirks a brow upward.

Alex laughs. "Uh, no, nothing like that." He stops and faces the redhead, causing the other to stop walking as well. Alex says seriously this time, "Look, will you help me or not?"

Sean makes a face, but finally nods. "Yeah, okay, you've goaded me enough. What d'ya need?"

Alex says in a rush, looking away to study the pattern on the carpet that trails down the center of the hardwood floored hallway, "I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for, like, two minutes to get this annoying-creepy-stalker-girl off my back." He sucks in air, glancing up. "No big deal, right?"

Sean deadpans, then blushes, then bursts out laughing while holding his gut and bending over slightly. The blond stares at him, a strange, offended expression on his handsome face.

"I'm not kidding, Sean! And it's not funny! She won't leave me the fuck alone no matter how many hints I drop that I don't want to date her because she's weird and obsessed with me, and I figured that, if I introduce you as my boyfriend to her, she'll back right off!" Alex says hotly, his ears burning and his fists clenched at his sides.

"Alex, you have a backwards, twisted mind; prison must have really screwed you up," he says with a shake of his head, standing up straight again. Alex's eyes flicker over how Sean's mop of a hairdo bounces, wavy and strawberry-blond. "Does the Professor know about this?"

Alex snorts, folding his arms over his chest as he glances away for a second. "Of course he does. I can't think without him hearing about it. Actually, he's already told me not to do it, saying that it could blow up in my face or backfire later, but I told him that I'll learn this lesson on my own, thanks," Alex relays with a sort of nodding shrug. He peers over at Sean again and moves his arms to clamp both hands down onto the sonic mutant's shoulders, shaking them a little before he says, "Please, Sean. I won't ask for another stupid thing again if you do this for me. I really don't want this girl to keep buggin' me; it's starting to freak me out."

Sean exhales slowly through his nose in a sigh, but he relents with a small half-nod. "Fine. I'll do it. – But if you get handsy on me and touch my ass or something, dude, then I am not talking to you for a week _at least._"

The blond grins, lightly slapping Sean's biceps as he releases the other teen, and laughs as he starts to walk away. "Cool. Thanks. Meet me in the garage at noon tomorrow; we're going into town to ditch this clingy bitch once and for all."

XxX

As soon as he sees her, the redhead thinks two things: _pretty,_ and _high-maintenance_.

She's short, thin, bleach-blonde, green-eyed, and _hyper as fuck. _She literally has all the qualities of an obsessed fan who hunts down a celebrity and ties them to a bed and does weird stuff to them; or, at least, she acts like the type to keep locks of hair and old chewing gum.

"Alex!" she says brightly, in a bubbly, giggly tone. She only sees him at first, and she jumps into a hug, her arms wrapping around Alex's neck as she leans up, pecks a kiss on his chin, and very clearly presses her breasts into Alex's chest before letting go and talking a couple steps back. "I missed you, sweetie."

Alex rolls his eyes, sending Sean a quick, _do-you-see-what-I-mean?_ glance the other boy's way. Sean nods minutely, and the exchange goes unnoticed by the girl in front of them on the sidewalk.

She finally sees Sean, and with a plastic smile, she looks between Alex and Sean for a moment. "Oh, who's this? Is he a friend of yours? Any friend of dreamy Alex Summers is a friend of his girlfriend's!" She looks to Sean and holds out a hand. "Hi, nice to meet you; I'm Sandra."

The redhead resists a grimace. He forces a small smile of his own instead. The mutant is about to shake her hand and introduce himself when Alex cuts in.

"He's Sean, and I've been meaning to tell you about him for a while now, Sandra," he says quickly, and Sandra drops her hand.

"Oh?" She says, looking puzzled but refusing to completely drop her smile, as tight as it's become. She glances between then, instant jealousy evident on her features as she claps her hands in front of her and leans her weight onto one foot. "And why is that?" She eyes Sean coldly, and he can practically feel the icy burn despite the fact that it's the late spring.

Alex steels himself and states firmly, "We're not dating, Sandra. We met at the grocery store and had coffee once afterward. I never took you out besides that. But you still keep calling me and setting up arrangements that I didn't agree to, and I keep trying to let you down easy, but you're not taking the hint. So I thought that, before you get in too deep, you should know that Sean, here? Yeah, he's my _boyfriend. _I'm _gay, _Sandra," Havok explains in a slightly wavering voice near the end. He looks at Banshee for a second, catching the redhead swallowing and emitting a soft, "yeah," under his breath from his pink lips.

Sandra blinks, as if about o cry or scream, and she straightens up and places her hands onto her hips. "I-if that's true, then kiss him. Because someone like you being _gay,_ Alex? That's hard to believe without some proof," she returns with false bravado, her jaw clenching at the end.

Alex raises his eyebrows, shrugs like it's normal, and says, "Of course. 'S not like I don't kiss him all the time anyway."

Sean's face pales significantly and he turns – too fast – to face Alex, a panicked look on his freckled face. "What! I can't do this!" he hisses sharply as Alex brings their faces close together, his hand cupping Sean's chin.

"Don't sweat it, bud. It'll be over in seconds. Just pretend that I'm a chick and kiss me." Alex replies too casually in an equally quiet whisper. He then presses forward before Banshee can get another word in.

Kissing Alex is not what Sean thought it would be.

He thought it would be disgusting. He thought it would feel weird (in that _this-is-so-wrong _sort of way). He thought Alex would taste gross, like burgers or something. He also thought he wouldn't have to taste Alex at all, because it would be a peck on the lips and nothing more.

But as it stands in these few seconds, Alex presses his lips tenderly to Sean's, and then pries the redhead's mouth open with a smooth movement of his lips and jaw, and slips his tongue into Sean's mouth, passionately playing with Sean's tongue for a few milliseconds. And Sean has to respond to play the part he agreed to, but he also kind of _wants _to kiss Alex back now that their tongues are touching, and it's weird, because Alex tastes kinda sweet, like Pepsi, the can he was drinking from on the drive over here. And as for how this feels… Sean hates to admit to himself that it all feels pretty warm and _good._

When they pull away, parting a bit and looking into each other's eyes questioningly (_what the Hell just happened?_), they turn to find Sandra missing. They see her figure feet away in the direction she came from, angrily stomping down the street, and then she turns the corner and is gone.

One or two people send confused looks or disgusted glares as they walk by, having caught the boys' kiss.

But Alex and Sean simply start to laugh, Sean shakier and more out of nerves, and Alex heartier and more out of relief.

Alex dusts it off, brushing past Sean to head back to their car, a borrowed one from Professor X. The blond cheers at his success, saying how he's "finally rid of that nuisance!" and is "totally in your debt, Banshee."

Sean feels a ripple of tingles down his body, goosebumps rising along his arms as he shakes the whole scene off and follows Alex back to the car.

Havok is probably going to act like everything is unchanged, honky-dory, and normal.

But it's never going to quite feel that way again for Sean. A kiss like that… faked or not, it's not the sort that's shared between "buddies."


	2. such REALLY close buddies

**A/N: Everyone kept asking for a sequel, so after I got a small idea, I caved in. Here, have this fluff piece, and I apologize for all the Cherik references, but no one really minds that pairing, right? Hahaha. I just can't ignore it as a possible influence, you know~? ;P**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>"Dude, what's your <em>problem?<em>" Alex questions with an offended frown on his dark blond brows as he drops onto the couch beside Sean one night. Sean's flipping channels, not quite watching much of anything on the black and white TV set. "It's been a week since you helped me ditch Sandra, and now you're hardly talking to me. What's that about? I didn't touch your ass or anything, like you told me to, so what gives? Aren't we still friends, Banshee?"

The redhead grits his teeth, and sends Alex a look. "You know, tongue isn't called for in a kiss. Especially not a fake-kiss," he retorts.

Alex huffs half of a laugh and looks at Sean incredulously. "I – what? Is _that _what you're pissed about? Come on, man! You can't hold something like that against me. I had to make it look convincing, and at the time, you played along!" he replies a bit angrily.

Sean shakes his head, looking away, out the window. It's the middle of the day, Saturday. He should go outside, practice flying or something, just for fun, just to be outside on such a pleasant-weathered day. He sighs, turning off the television. He peers over at his friend. "It was just… _weird, _Havok."

"What, why? It wasn't that bad," Alex returns defensively.

"That's just the problem!" Sean says, changing his position on the cough to face Alex fully. "It _wasn't _that bad. I _didn't _mind it like I should've, and that's what really bugs me about it. I like _girls, _Alex. I know I do. I always have."

Alex looks at him oddly. "So? I do, too."

"Then what the fuck happened when you kissed me?" Sean snaps, and his eyes are searching Alex's eyes very carefully, looking for some sign in specific, and the connection is as intense as the ones Alex would always catch the Professor and Magneto sharing, when they were still friends.

Alex swallows dryly. "Um, I dunno. Did something happen?"

"I thought so," Sean says in a lower pitch, leaning back a bit and running a hand through his shaggy locks. "And it's been in the back of my head all week. And it stupid, because I don't want things to be weird between us."

"Hey, you're the one making things weird, not me," Alex answers, raising his hands in the air in a signature 'whatever' pose. "But, like… if it'll clear your conscience or something, then we could test to see if it was a fluke or not."

"Huh? How?" Sean snorts, disbelieving. "Don't tell me you want us to kiss again."

"Uh, that's kind of the idea," Alex returns casually. Too casually; does he not care about _anything_ being awkward?

Sean's face falls. "You're kidding." The logic is practically childish, but bros need some sort of idea behind everything to keep from sounding… well, _gay._

"Nope," the blond answers, smirking a little. He nudges Sean with a small push to his arm. "Come on, it won't kill ya. It's just a test. We'll kiss again, and if it's like last time, then maybe we should reevaluate our relationship. And if it's totally nasty or uncomfortable, then we'll start being friends like we used to be. Deal?" and he raises an eyebrow like someone else might offer a hand to shake on it.

The freckled boy laughs, not sure what to think, but nods his head nonetheless. "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Deal." He nibbles his bottom lip. What scares him is that he's the one who wants to initiate it this time, wants to see if Alex still tastes like Pepsi or something equally sweet, or if it still feels as warming as it had before.

But he waits for Alex to move in first. Alex leans forward on the couch, stabilizing himself with his arms, one hand on the cushion near Sean's pretzeled legs and the forearm of the other resting atop the back of the sofa. He rocks forward don his knees and presses his lips to Sean's, their chins grazing, and involuntarily, the redhead feels his eyes flutter closed. He's the one who reaches up and cups Alex's face, feeling a brush of stubble from a missed spot of shaving on Alex's jaw near his ear, and he's the one who hums slightly as he licks across Alex's bottom lip.

The blond returns the hum with a muffled moan of his own, pressing closer as his arm on the back of the couch slips off and wraps around Sean's shoulders, his hand descending into Sean's hair to grasp it and angle Sean's head to deep the kiss.

One of Sean's hands loses its grip in increments, sliding down Alex's neck, over his collarbone, and down the front of his chest, feeling out his white tank top and surprising himself with how little he cares about the lack of squishy breasts and how much he likes the firm pectorals there instead. He drops his hand to sneak under the hem of Alex's shirt, sliding his hand up the warm skin of Alex's back as they kiss over and over, letting out puffs of breath in between smacking lips and tangling tongues.

Alex his tightened his grip on the cough cushion until his knuckles have gone white, and he's resorted to grasping the back of Sean's neck and one of his shoulders, almost massaging with how he grips and ungrips warm flesh in between heated kisses.

Then, all at once, they both open their eyes and look at one another, and the spell is broken. Alex leans back to his seat and Sean pushes him away at the same time, and they stare at once another with too many questions and too little answers flickering across their faces.

"Shit," the redhead curses in a hiss under his breath. He gets up from the cough and moves to leave, but then turns back around and points an accusatory finger at Alex. "Dammit, man! _Why?_"

"I dunno, lonely and horny? Make up your own reasons why!" Alex barks back, standing up and pushing Sean by the shoulders. "All I know is, I'm not good with people-stuff, okay? Never was. That, and paired with my need to not _kill _people, I stayed in solitary confinement for a while, so I never got much practice being with other people. So, to me, sexuality really isn't a big deal; I just like _people, _whoever I meet, whoever gets close. And _ding-ding-ding, _we have a winner, one Sean Cassidy. So I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry."

Sean stares at him for along, drawn-out moment, and finally sighs, leaning his weight back on one foot as he gives Alex a once-over. "That's deep, man."

"Yeah. Tell me about it," Alex snorts. "I didn't even mean to say it, but there it is."

Sean peers down at the floor, shoving his hands into the pockets of his baggy shorts. "…I just always followed examples, you know? I didn't think about sexuality, either, 'cause I thought it was obvious: boys and girls go together. Until I saw how close the Charles and Erik were, it never really crossed my mind. I –" He opens his mouth, then closes it. He looks back to the blond, and a smile appears on his lips. "But hey, isn't it the '60s? Today, we got a lot of hippies, but I always respected their 'free love' idea. Seemed pretty fresh, pretty acceptable to me. So whatever; if you like me, I can handle it. I was just confused for a while, but… well, I can't be anymore, can I?"

"Not after that, you can't," Alex retorts with a mirroring smirk. They both laugh for a minute, out oft heir out stupidity and form the rush of emotions they felt all within the past three to five short minutes.

Sean lets out a whistle. "Whoa. So. What now?"

"I dunno. Uh… Wanna go out sometime? Not as buddies, but as, like, boyfriends?" Alex proposes, his low, rich voice making Sean smile.

"Yeah, sure. I like going to movies," Sean hints, and they start to walk together rout of the room, agreeably headed for outside, even without verbally stating it. "But I don't want to be one of the couples making out in the theatre unless it's a flick I've already seen. I actually like to _watch _what I paid to see."

Alex laughs. "No, I hear ya. I'm the same way, since movies are kind of a rare treat for me, but I love 'em."

And it's another unspoken agreement that it's okay to bump one another's shoulders as they walk outside, and also okay to run out into the lake, stripping down to their boxers as they go. And it's also unsaid but mutually thought that it's now normal for them to lean over and plant a kiss somewhere, anywhere with skin, while they swim or dry off or study together or do a number of other things together.

Charles naturally picks up on all of this as it transpires, and his lips quirk into a smile, and he shakes his head fondly at their antics while he reads or teaches, because it's adorable and a little reminiscent of moments he wished he could have had with someone, but he shoves the thoughts aside and lets the boys have their fun, because it's just _right _for them to have this.


End file.
